The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[delisha]

Quote: I bet the meaties make these guys look tiny

 

[delisha]

New hatches went outside today..blue black splash ..huge chicks and uncooperative

 

[lalaland]

love checking in the evening before bed and hearing everyone's news.
way to go on the butchering, I'm not looking forward to my first round of butchering. Those 8 roosters, well at least 7 will be dinner. They are 10 weeks and puny, so need some more fattening up.

Mumsy, & Justine, I'm so glad you take the time to post pics - the featherless chick, the goats, the hen and chick pics are fantastic.

I put a tree limb in for another roost in hopes of providing an attractive alternative to the shelves, and came home after dark to find it worked for some of the littles, although there were 6 chicks crammed up teetering on edges of pails, etc on the top shelf.

got woken up in the middle of the night with coons in the chicken run. I wasn't too sure what was creating the ruckus in the run, so was relieved it was coons and not bears at the end of the flashlight. that electric wire is off while the chicks are kind of flighty as they can electrocute themselves on it (has happened in the past). luckily the coop was locked up tight, although the coons knocked over the ramp so they were trying to get to the chickens. They managed to unhook the chained garbage can covers to get at feed, and left calling cards in the run.

I have some fence repair to do tomorrow, they actually tore up part of the welded wire fence. I think the fence wire is so old it is getting a bit brittle because it should be coon proof with the gauge it is.

Did turn on the fence after the coop was locked up tonight, hope I hear some squealing tonight.

 

[lalaland]

I'm counting on it!! He will crack me up with laughter until he finally grows some feathers.





Some of his brothers are much more feathered, though not much still for 5 weeks. They were born right around the same time as the meaties.

the barring looks gorgeous!

 

[lalaland]

delisha, such sweet chicks! too hard to resist.

 

[delisha]

delisha, such sweet chicks! too hard to resist.

Thank you..

Good thing you locked up tight. My neighbor came over this morning and was asking questions. He has lost over 50 chickens to fox, racoon and coyotes in the last month. He wanted to know my secret. He did not believe me when I showed him the tennis balls in my tree.

 

[armorfirelady]

Woohoo!,

I HAVE A BROODY!  

Woohoo!!!

I do to, sort of. Red has been in the nesting box every afternoon and all niht but the last 2 mornings she was out in the morning. Her belly is bare to. She did move nesting boxes today. Apparently she was not pleased with the progress the golf ball was making so she switched to the other one where there are 2 foam golf balls & Edie's egg. I took Edie's out just now & that was one toasty egg!!

Maybe she will have better luck hatching the foam ones

 

[countrygirl74]

Meet Ostrich. Our very slowest to feather out BPR. He cracks me up. I'm hoping this means his barring will be to die for. I have my doubts. I think he will be naked when he is full grown

He's 5 weeks old. Not kidding. Actually 5 weeks, 2 days old to be exact.

Oh my gosh - he's adorable aoxa!!!

 

[mlowen]

Leigh managed to hatch a swedish flower hen egg that she had dropped and was a little cracked. She put a medical bandage on it and put it in the incubator and when it pipped, put it under her broody. Little miracles happen every day!

 

[lalaland]

that is absolutely amazing! congrats to bulldogma.